Door check



Feb. 23, 1937. e. HAMMOND DOOR CHECK Filed March 24, 1934 Patented Feb. 23, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT FFIC DOOR CHECK Application March 24, 1934, Serial No. 717,254

13 Claims.

My invention relates to that class of devices which are employed'to prevent sudden and forcible closing of doors and the like, and an object of my invention, among others, is to provide a device of this sort that shall be simple in construction and particularly efiicient in operation.

One form of a door check embodying my invention and in the construction and use of which the objects herein set out, as well as others, may be'attained, is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which Figure 1 is a face view of one corner of a door frame-and door showing'my improved door check applied thereto.

Figure 2 is a top view showing the manner of application of my improved door check to the door, the top frame being shown in horizontal section.

Figure 3 is a view in central lengthwise section through my improved door check, the scale being enlarged from that shown in Figures 1 and. 2.

Figure 4 is a view similar to Figure 3 but in a plane at right angles to the plane of Figure 3 and with the piston partially raised.

Figure 5 is a view similar to Figure 3 and illustrating the piston in its raised position.

Figure 6 is a detail view illustrating the manner'o-f connection of the actuating arm to the hub of the piston actuator.

Figure 7 is a View in horizontal section through the cylinder, guide sleeve, piston and piston actuator.

Figure 8 is a detail view on enlarged scale illustrating the-construction and operation of the relief valves.

Figure 9 is a view similar to-Figure 3 but illustrating a modified form of construction.

Figure 10 is a view similar to Figure'8 illustrating the construction and operation of the valves embodied in the structure of Figure 9.

Inthe accompanying drawing the numeral l2 denotes a door frame and I3 a'door secured to said frame by hinges l4 in any ordinary manner. My improved door check is preferably secured nearthe upper edge of the door and somewhat near: the back edge'thereof, said check compris-' ing a cylinder I5having a base I6 which is secured to thedoor inany ordinary manner. In one construction of the cylinder the bottom I! is composed of a separate piece secured in place in any suitable manner and a head or cap I8 is secured in the opposite end of the cylinder as by interengaging screw threads, as shown in Figs. 3' and 40f the drawing. A guide sleeve l9, formed to closely fit the interior of the cylinder, is secured in place in any suitable manner and has a guide slot 20 extending longitudinally in one wall thereof to receive a guide pin 2! projecting from one side of a piston 22 fitted for lengthwise reciprocating movement in the sleeve l9. One end of the piston is open for a purpose to behereinafter described and in the opposite and closed end has ports 23 arranged around a central hole through said closed end, said hole receiving the tubular stem of a valve 2410f a sizeto cover the ports 23. Said valve stem has a sliding movement within said hole to permit said valve to close and open the ports 23.

A piston actuator 25 is mounted for oscillating movement within the cylinder l5, said actuator having an annular flange 26 at one end that, rides upon balls 2'! which roll in a grooved ball ring 28 supported on the end of. the guide sleeve [9;

and as shown in Fig. 3 of the drawing. A cam ed into a recess in the end of the hub, and a setscrewmay also be employed'for securing the parts together if desired. The outer end of the arm 3| is pivotally attached to one end of a rod H, the opposite end of said rod being pivotally secured to the door frame l2, as shown in Fig. 2.

A secondary valve 33 is screw-threadedly secured to the end of a secondary valve stem 34 having its endformed as a screw 35 threaded into a hole in a hub projecting inwardly from the end of the piston actuator 25, and as shown in i Fig. 3 of the drawing, the head of the screw being located in a recess in the hub 30 of the actu-' resting against a shoulder between the valve 33 and its stem, the latter being slidable through the sleeve 3?. The valve 33 acts within and through the hole in the stem of the valve 24. spring 38 is located within the chamber in the actuator 25, thrusting with one end against the bottom of the chamber in said actuator and with its opposite end againstthe bottom of the chamber A main in the piston 22. The structure shown in Fig. 9 is the same as that hereinbefore described with the following exceptions: the bottom 39 of the cylinder is formed integral therewith and the head 40 is screw-threadedly engaged with the outer surface of the cylinder instead of the inner surface as shown in Fig. 3.

In this structure the secondary valve 4| is chambered and has lateral ports 42 and a needle valve port 43, the valve being screwed onto the end of the stem 44- as in the case of the valve of Fig. 3. The head 45 of said stem is located outside of the hub 46 of the actuator 25, and a needle valve 41 extends through the stem 44, with its pointed end engaged within the port 43. The needle valve is threaded into the outer end of the stem 44 for purposes of adjustment.

As shown in the drawing herein the cam groove 29 extends in opposite directions from the point in which the pin 2| rests when the structure is in its normal position, as with the door closed. This is for the purpose of enabling the structure to be attached to doors which may be hung from either the right or left hand edge, and therefore which will swing in either direction. A flat 48 (see dotted lines in Fig. 4) is preferably formed at the opposite ends of said groove on which flat the pin 2| will rest when the door is in its open position and this will cause the door check to be inoperative to close the door until the latter is swung to engage the pin with the inclined portion of the groove, and this holding effect may be increased by means of one or more notches in the fiat 48 and as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 4.

In operation as the door is swung from its closed position the arm 3| first moves to the right from the position shown in Fig. 2 and then moves back to said position. As it moves from this latter position to the left the actuator 25 is rotated, which causes the pin 2| to move along the cam groove,;thereby raising the piston 22. It being understood that oil or other suitable liquid may be employed in the device, the piston will contain such oil in its closed position and as shown in Fig. 3. As soon as the piston begins to rise the valve 24 will open and the oil will pass through the opening in the stem of the valve 24 and through the ports 23. The valve 33 will pass into the opening in the stem of the valve 24 thereby closing such opening and passing through said opening as the sleeve 31 is caused to rise, said opening will be cleared as the piston reaches its upper position shown in Fig. 5. The valve 24 will remain open from the time it opens in the upward stroke of the piston by contact with the flange on the sleeve 31 until it is disengaged from said flange in the downward stroke of the piston at which time it closes and remains closed until again opened by contact with said flange. When thus closed downward movement of the piston is arrested but slow movement takes place by reason of seepage of oil past the valves and until the hole in the stem of the valve 24 is again opened in the travel of the valve 33 upwardly therethrough during downward stroke of the piston as soon as said valve 33 clears the upper end of the stem of the valve 24. This accelerates movement of the door at the end of its closin movement sufiiciently to ensure complete closure against any counter pressures that may exist at such time. When however the valve 33 enters the hole in the stem, as shown in Fig. 4, flow of oil is lessened and movement of the piston is thereby checked, retarding closing movement of the door during passage of the valve 33 through the hole in the stem of the valve 24 as hereinbefore explained and the time of this action may be regulated by screwing the rod in or out in the hub within the actuator. It will be understood that the fit of the valve 33 within the hole in the valve 24 is loose enough to permit seepage of oil past said valve and thereby efiect slow closing movement of the door when the valve is so located. After the door is checked in its closing movement and the bottom end of the valve 33 has cleared the upper end of the stem of the valve 24 the oil has a free flow through the hollow sleeve of this valve, thus giving a power impulse at the final closing movement of the door to latch the same.

In the structure shown in Fig. 9 this final closing of the door may be slightly accelerated by adjustment of the needle valve 41 to permit a slow flow of oil into the chamber in the piston.

The length of said power impulse may be regulated by removing the cap screw 32, and turning said threaded stem in the threaded hub of the actuator either to the right or left as by means of a screwdriver inserted in the slot in the head 35 as to the device of Figs. 1 to 8 and by turning the stem 44 by means of its head 45 as to the device of Figs. 9 and 10.

The spring 38 exerts a force upon the piston to swing the door to its closed position and the arrangement of the case and the enclosing mechanism is such that springs of different force may be utilized in a door check of standard construction and of minimum size, and different degrees of force suitable for diiferent conditions of use, as upon doors of diiferent sizes and weights, may be obtained in different ways which will readily suggest themselves to the skilled mechanic, as by means of springs of different tension, or by using a plurality of springs one within another. The device will normally operate when not quite full of oil, as there will be no leakage and therefore one filling will last for the life of the device.

In accordance with the provisions of the patent statutes I have described the principles of operation of my invention, together with the device which I now consider to represent the best embodiment thereof; but I desire to have it understood that the device shown is only illustrative, and that the invention may be carried out by other means and applied to uses other than those above set out.

I claim 1. A door check including a cylinder, a chambered actuator with its mouth opening inward and its closed end in proximity to the end of the cylinder and rotatable therein, a hub projecting from the actuator through the end of the cylinder, an arm secured to said hub and having means for connection to a stationary support, a piston having a closed end and an open end into which said acuator telescopes, an operative connection between said actuator and piston to cause longitudinal movement of the latter as an effect of rotation of the actuator, the latter closely fitting within said piston, and means housed within said actuator and piston and acting against the closed ends thereof for forcing them apart.

2. A door check including a cylinder, an actuator having a closed and an open end and a cam groove, said closed end being located in proximity to the end of the cylinder, a hub projecting from said closed end through the end of the cylinder, an arm secured to said hub and having means for connection to a stationary support, a piston having a closed and an open end the latter receiving said actuator which telescopes therein, a'stud projecting at one end from the inner wall of's'aid piston into said cam groove to cause longitudinal movement of the piston as an "effect of the rotation of said actuator, said stud projecting at its opposite end into a groove to prevent rotation of said piston and means housed within the chambers in said actuator and piston and acting against the closed ends thereof to move them apart to effect rotation of the actuator.

3. A door check including a cylinder, an actu ator projecting into'the cylinder and having a closed and an open end said closed end being located in proximity to the end of the cylinder, a hub projecting from said closed end through the end of the cylinder, an arm secured to said actuator and having means for connection to a stationary support, a stationary guide sleeve located within the cylinder and having a guide slot, a piston longitudinally movable within said guide sleeve and having an opened and a closed end the latter receiving the open end of the actuator which telescopes therein, an operative connection between said piston and actuator to cause longitudinal movement of the piston as an effect of rotation of said actuator, a stud projecting from said piston into said guide slot to prevent rotation of said piston, and means housed within the chambers in said actuator and piston and acting against the closed ends thereof to force them apart to effect rotation of the actuator.

4. A door check including a cylinder, an actuator projecting into the cylinder and having a cam groove and an open and a closed end the latter being located in proximity to the end of the cylinder, a hub projecting from said closed end through the end of the cylinder, an arm secured to said actuator and having means for connection to a stationary support, a piston longitudinally movable within the cylinder and having a closed and an open end into the latter of which said actuator telescopes, a stationary guide sleeve located within the cylinder and having a, guide slot, a pin projecting at one end from said piston into said cam groove and at its opposite end into said guide slot, and means housed within the chambers in said actuator and piston and acting against the closed ends thereof to force them apart to effect said rotation of the actuator.

5. A door check including a cylinder, an actuator projecting into the cylinder and having an open and a closed end the latter being located in proximity to the'end of the cylinder, a hub projecting from said closed end through the end of the cylinder, an arm secured to said hub and having means for connection to a stationary support, a piston longitudinally movealole within the cylinder and having a closed and an opened end the latter of which closely fits and receives said actuator which telescopes therein, said piston having ports through its closed end, means connecting said actuator and piston to cause longi tudinal movement of the latter as an eflfect of rotation of the former, a valve having a stem slidable within a hole in the bottom of saidpiston and operating to control flow of fluid through said ports, a secondary valve operating through a hole in the stem of the first mentioned valve to control said flow and means housed within the chambers in said actuator and piston and acting against the closed ends thereof to force them apart to effect rotation of the actuator.

6. A door check including a cylinder, an actuator projecting into the cylinder, an arm secured to said actuator and having means for connection to a stationary support, a piston longitudinally movable within the cylinder andhaving a closed end and a telescopic connection with said actuator and having a hole through said closed end, said connection being arranged to cause longitudinal movement of the piston as an effect of rotation of the actuator, and a valve positioned to enter and pass through said hole and alternately lie wholly on opposite sides of the piston wall as the piston is moved to change its position relatively to the valve and thereby control flow of fluid through said hole.

7. A door check including a cylinder, an actuator projecting into the cylinder, an arm secured to said actuator and having means for connection'to a stationary support, a piston longitudinally movable within said cylinder and having a closed end and a'telescopic connection with said actuator and having a hole and ports through said closed end, said connection being arranged to cause longitudinal movement of the piston as an efiect of rotation of the actuator, a valve having a hollow stem slidable within said hole to control flow of fluid through said ports, and a valve positioned to enter and pass through said hole in said stem and lie wholly at one time on one side of the piston wall and then wholly on the other side thereof and control flow of fluid therethrough.

8. A door check including a cylinder, an actuator projecting into the cylinder, an arm secured to said actuator and having means for connection to a stationary support, a piston longitudinally movable within the cylinder and having a closed end with a hole therein and a telescopic connection with said actuator, means in said connection to cause longitudinal movement of the piston as an effect of rotation of said actuator, and a valve supported by a stem secured to and projecting from the end of said actuator and positioned to pass through said hole and at one time lie wholly on one side of the piston wall and then wholly on the other side thereof to control flow of fluid there-through.

9. A door check including a cylinder, an actuator projecting into said cylinder, an arm secured to said actuator and having means for connection to a stationary support, a piston longitudinally movable within the cylinder and having a connection with said actuator to cause longitudinal movement of the piston as an effect of rotation of said actuator, said piston having a hole through its closed end and ports in the bottom thereof, a valve having a hollow stem slidable in said hole to control flow of fluid through said ports in the bottom of the piston, a hollow valve having a stem secured to said actuator to support said hollow valve in position to enter said hole in said valve stem as the piston is moved and thereby control flow of fluid through said hollow stem, means engageable with said hollow stem to positively open said valve, said hollow Valve having ports through its wall, and a needle valve extending through the stem of the hollow valve and positioned to control the ports therein for flow of fluid therethrough.

10. A door check including a cylinder adapted to contain fluid, an actuating arm supported by said cylinder, a piston longitudinally movable Within the cylinder and having ports therein, an operative connection between said arm and piston, a valve to control flow of fluid through said ports, means for holding said valve open, and during a portion of the closing movement of the piston means acting in connection with the fluid for effecting operation of said valve to close said ports before said arm reaches a door closed position.

11. A door check including a cylinder, an actuating arm supported by said cylinder, a piston longitudinally movable within the cylinder and having ports therein, an operative connection between said arm and piston, a fluid pressure operated valve to control flow of fluid through said ports, a spring actuated sleeve for holding said valve open, and means to release the pressure of said sleeve to effect closing movement of said valve before said arm reaches a position to close said door.

12. A door check including a cylinder, an actuating arm supported by said cylinder, a piston movable within the cylinder and having ports therein, an operative connection between said arm and piston, a hollow valve stem supporting a pressure operated valve to control fiow of fluid through said ports, a spring to hold said valve in an open position, and a valve operating entirely through said hollow stem to close the hole therethrough during its passage through said hole.

13. A door check including a cylinder, an actuating arm supported by said cylinder, a piston longitudinally movable within the cylinder and having ports therein, an operative connection between said arm and piston, a pressure operated valve to control flow of fluid through said ports, a sleeve, a spring acting on said sleeve to hold said valve in an open position, and means operative by movement of said piston to engage said sleeve and move it to release pressure of said spring on said valve to permit the latter to close before said arm reaches a position to close said door.

GRANT HAMMOND. 

